


Smallest Beginnings

by atotalthrowawayaccount



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Backstory, Demigods, F/F, Female-Centric, Femslash, Gen, Old Gods, Prologue
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-07-13 04:58:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16010768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atotalthrowawayaccount/pseuds/atotalthrowawayaccount
Summary: A prologue to the events leading up to Serie11's wonderful piece, Within Her Embrace.  Again, I suck at summaries but yeah!!! That's basically what it is!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Within Her Embrace](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14485644) by [Serie11](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serie11/pseuds/Serie11). 



> The wonderful Serie11 has given me permission to write within their wonderful universe for the fic, Within Her Embrace, and I'm eager to do that series justice. I've been fascinated by their story for the longest time and I had my own HCs about the events leading up to the main fic!
> 
> Just some general housekeeping:  
> 1\. I'm still planning working on 'What Dawn Brings'! That fic is a beast and my time is still very limited so I'm trying to at least get some project out while that one is in a mini-hiatus.  
> 2\. This isn't going to be too long--maybe only 5-6 chapters at most. I just want to get this idea out of my head!  
> 3\. Time is limited! Still in school! But will be working on this and my other fic too! Thank you for being patient!

The small group walking towards the massive temple of All-Mother moved quickly over the rugged, semi-arid desert that spanned over the majority of the Western lands.  Though they were close to their promised safe-haven, the temple was rumored throughout all nations to be an unparalleled oasis in the parched desert, the travelers were tense and the elite guard hired specifically for this journey were more than diligent in their survey of the environment.  Current word had been that the trolls and demons alike were more restless and aggressive than ever before and there had been too many a recent tale of unfortunate end for those who happened to cross a monsters’ path.

 

The reason for the perilous journey was not a frivolous one.  If completed successfully, the end result would yield great prestige and honor amongst those present, especially upon the babe swaddled tightly and held close to her mother’s chest.  The woman holding the child was a young Carja noble-woman, by the name of Mireanna, who was wife to a powerful lord who reigned over one of the Carja empire’s many occupied territories.  Mireanna had been one of the lucky few individuals that were accepted a requested audience with the head priestess of the temple of All-Mother.  The young woman was hoping that the reclusive priestess would be willing to bestow a blessing upon her newborn daughter.  Those that were blessed by the head priestess were said to have insight that was only found amongst those in favor with All-Mother.  Mireanna could only hope that her own daughter would receive even a small portion of that insight and that the status of her husband would be raised amongst the other Carja nobles after the ceremony.

 

Mireanna’s most loyal guard and right-hand man, Karesh, stops and raises his right hand in a gesture for the travelers to cease.  He has been around for too long to ignore his instinct and can sense that going any further would be detrimental and even possibly deadly.  Squinting towards the horizon, he can finally see why he felt the need to halt the journey.  Ideally he should be able to clearly see the jagged cliffs of the mountains and brush in the background but he cannot.  Instead, the land in front of him appears as though it is in a grey haze and shimmering, as if viewed from behind a thin cloth.  According to Mireanna’s own reports, Karesh knew that it would be physically impossible for the ensemble to move any further.  There must be powerful magic involved if even a simpleton like him could sense the foreboding nature of the veil they saw.  “Lady Mireanna, we are close to the temple.  I believe we should stop here and follow the high priestess’ orders until further instructions are given to us by the All-Mother acolytes.” 

 

Mireanna looks up from her child and smiles softly at her guard.  Leave it to Karesh to be more observant than she was, even when the entire journey was about her own agendas.  “Thank you for alerting me, Karesh.  I agree.  We shall set up camp here and wait until the high priestess is ready to see us and sends us more details as what we should do next.”

* * *

 

At this point in the journey, setting up camp was an automatic process.  The wagons were organized in a circle around a small campfire and tents were arranged between the fire and the wagons.  Though the shelter was not fancy by any means, it managed to serve its purpose in keeping its habitants safe—save for one unfortunate incident.  There had only been one casualty: an unfortunately drunk Zannich had wandered out from the wagon circle late one night and had met the nasty end of a troll’s wrath.  His remains, or what little could be found in a more accurate sense, had been found by a disgruntled Karesh, who’s frustration quickly turned into horror after seeing the carnage of the night.  Since that event, the guards had been banned from drinking and shifts were made shorter in order to make sure that each of the sentries were well-rested and alert when they were to patrol in the inner circle.

 

Mireanna looked around at her crew and smiled to herself.  She couldn’t put to words how much she appreciated the hard work and dedication given to her by the guards chosen to for this task; she knew that large raises were in order when they returned to her family’s estate in the Jewel of Meridian.

 

“Lady Mireanna, do you think we’ll be summoned into the temple tonight? I worry that us being so close to our destination will make my men—complacent—and more easily spooked than usual.”

 

Mireanna glances towards Karesh who, despite being enclosed in a solid ring of metal that had protected all of them so far, was standing up and at attention, scanning the empty desert for any sign of monsters that may walk the night.  Other guards were patrolling around the circle while some slept in their tents or played card games by the fire.  Everyone seemed to be more on edge despite the fact that safety from the elements and evils outside seemed to only be a few steps away.

 

“I do not know, Karesh,” Mireanna sighs.  Though she would never personally admit it out loud to her guard, she too was beginning to wear thin.  Looking out for everyone involved and taking care of a newborn was exhausting; she was eager to finally take refuge in a solid shelter to rest.  “When I received correspondence from the high priestess it was incredibly vague—as you saw.  She only accepted my request for an audience and simply told me to wait when we knew we could go no further.  The priestess never told me what to expect after that, only to wait.”

 

Karesh nods and continues to look out towards the distant lands surrounding the temple.  “I can partially understand the reasoning, but I still can’t shake the feeling that this is all a power move on the priestess’ part.”

 

Mireanna looks up at Karesh, confusion present on her face.  While she thought of the priestess’ orders as simply custom she knew that Karesh, who came from the battle-hardened fields of the Sundom, viewed all moves differently than her, a woman who had grown up in lush palaces and high courts.  Karesh saw all actions as a way to an end, and though the two of them had dramatically different upbringings and were decades in age apart, Mireanna was not foolish enough to ignore Karesh’s own input and experiences.  It had served her family well in the past, after all.

 

Looking uncomfortable after feeling his master’s eyes on him. Karesh clears his throat in an effort to continue.  “My lady I apologize if I offended you.  I only—”

 

“Karesh.  We have known each other for almost thirty years.  You have not offended me—but you will if you do not tell me what you are thinking,” Mireanna makes sure to add jest to her tone after lightly reprimanding her guard.  The man was always careful around his liege and had treated her feelings as the most paramount, even to the detriment of his own being.

 

“Very well.  Thank you, Mireanna.”  Taking a moment to think of a way to politely voice his concerns, the older man took a few moments and then spoke, this time in a low murmur.  Clearly what he had to say may be unnerving to even the most hardened of men.

 

“When I was a low-ranking soldier in the Sun King’s court, I was chosen, along with three other grunts, to be the personal attendants of an elite Sun Priest who was in charge of the rituals held in the Sun Court of Meridian.  It was one of the highest honors to guard a priest.  While war was the most orthodox method to gain rank in the military, a quicker and more peaceful way was guarding the clergy and nobility.  Being able to conspire with political and religious figures as their personal guard allowed ambitious soldiers a more linear path to elite company and positions.”

 

Karesh decides to finally sit down.  As he does so his entire posture seems to sink, it was as though the reminiscing of his past wasn’t just emotionally heavy but physically as well.  “One of the guard elevated along with me was, naïve, to put it nicely.  I had known him since we were children; Alnoi was his name.  He was well intentioned but had more brawn than brains.  He struggled to adjust to the silent customs that permeated the echelon he newly lived in and would often be berated by the captain of the Sun Priest guard to keep his toes in line—or else.”

 

A sinking feeling begins to grow in Mireanna’s stomach.  Even though she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth she could still empathize with the young men who struggled trying to reach a piece of the life she had been born into.  The young mother remembers how even she would have difficulties accommodating to the expectations of the nobility.  “We were all willing to look the other way and ignore his mistakes to basically allow him to remain a lowly guardsman.  We thought that by letting him be, he couldn’t cause any harm, the fool he was.”

 

Karesh shakes his head sadly, his tone darkening and becoming more laden with sorrow.  “One day a group of tribe leaders from the Oseram came to the Sun Temple in order to barter a peace treaty between the two clashing territories.  The negotiations were going slowly and neither side was budging.  But during that night it all almost came to all-out war.  Apparently Alnoi had drunkenly proposed that the Oseram leaders should be allowed into the hallowed Sun Temple mausoleums in order to gain a deeper understanding of the lore and teachings of the Sun Priests.  His logic was that it would speed up the talks and bring peace to the two people more rapidly than the bureaucratic nonsense that he thought was slowing down the treaty.  After that night, nothing was the same for him.”

 

“Soon after the entire Sun clergy began to act cruelly towards Alnoi.  Apparently someone had told the priests of Alnoi’s suggestion and they collectively decided to make an example of him; to show others what trespassing beyond their station meant,” Karesh’s voice loses its sadness and instead grows an undercurrent of anger.  Mireanna can tell that whatever happened next to Alnoi was significant as Karesh almost never let emotion leak through his voice.  “This torment went on for over a year, until the Festival of the Sun, where Alnoi snapped.  The priest poured his wine upon Alnoi’s head to an audience of a noble houses, humiliating the guard and essentially ending his climb to loftier heights.  Who would hire a guard who couldn’t be loved by even the holy men?  Instead of staying quiet, Alnoi lashed out and struck the priest down, knocking him out.  That night was the last anyone saw of him.  And to think—it all began when a lowly soldier suggested ideas beyond his station.”

 

Mireanna doesn’t know what to say after Karesh’s story.  She can tell that despite all the years that had passed since Alnoi’s fall from grace and death, it still left a significant burden upon Karesh.  “Karesh, I’m so sorry for your loss.  I can’t say that I’ve ever been in the same situation but do know that if my father had happened upon your Alnoi’s plight—”

 

“It is okay, Mireanna,” Karesh says gently, a thin smile upon his face.  “Your family is not responsible for Alnoi’s plight—no one is except for him and the priest we guarded.”

 

The man laughs ironically, and then continues.  “Thankfully that bitter man expired on the road to the shady city of Durgan.  Happened upon a rather nasty troll.  Only his fancy ring and head dress were found.  What he was doing heading towards that city of sin, no one knows—but he got what he deserved.”

 

Clearing his throat Karesh continues on his cautionary lesson.  “But Alnoi’s misfortune is not what I wish to discuss.  What I am trying to say is that even when the cards seem to be in your favor, there is always someone who controls the deck and knows your hand.”

 

Mireanna laughs lightly.  She appreciates Karesh’s caution but thinks that even now he was being overly cautious.  Surely he wasn’t afraid of the priestesses of All-Mother; they were all known to be pacifists to a fault.  “Karesh, you worry too much.  I appreciate how you look after Kaliah and I but we’ll be fine.  If anything, you need to be on guard as to whether we’ll be suffocated by the head priestess’ overbearing hospitality.”

 

Looking around uncomfortably, Karesh squirms in his seat and after a healthy pause whispers “I would usually be fine with the leadership within the Temple of All-Mother.  However, this new head priestess is rumored to be like none before her.  The talks of her abilities and deeds, has made it so that the temple, which has always been shrouded in mystery, is now also feared and not just revered by the common folk.  And it’s all because of her.”

 

The fear laden in Karesh’s voice makes Mireanna’s blood run cold.  The young mother knew that the temple had always been enigmatic but hearing her reliable guardsman actually be fearful alerted her to the uncertainty she had subjected her newborn too.  “What do you mean, Karesh?  What do you mean that this woman has caused the Temple of All-Mother to be feared?”

 

“It is clear what I mean.  This priestess is a complete mystery and yet she wields unprecedented power, Mireanna,” Karesh says, his voice laden with urgency and frustration.  “Every religious figure claims to be the mouth-piece of a god yet this woman seems to be a vessel for the very goddess she speaks for.  The saying is that no one even knows her true land of origin, nor the name she chose for herself and yet she seems to be more in touch with All-Mother than anyone before her.  The plants and wildlife obey her and leave the temple in prosperity and peace.  The magic she wields, directly bestowed to her by All-Mother herself, strong enough to topple empires.  Her mental prowess has also carved her legend; it is said that she has knowledge that only the gods would know.  My lady, it as though this priestess holds the very heart of All-Mother within her hands.”

 

Karesh looks directly at Mireanna, attempting to stress the power that this new priestess held.  He was worried that his station did not fully understand what she was getting into.  “Think of it, Mireanna.  Ares, Minerva, Hephaestus, Apollo, Artemis, Poseidon, Hades, and many others.  All of these gods—ancient beyond time itself came from the All-Mother and sequentially created our society.  Though born from her, these gods are distant from the All-Mother, they were left to forge their own destinies.  And yet here, in the desert seemingly nowhere, a single woman has the ear and blessing of the All-Mother more so than the goddesses’ own children do.  So when I say that you are on a knife’s edge, please believe me.  We may be receiving a blessing as nobles but know that we are only insignificant guests in their house.”

 

Karesh is about to continue with his cautionary advice when a call amongst the guards rings out through the night.  “Lady Mireanna!  Someone reveals themselves from beyond the veil!”

 

Karesh and Mireanna stand up, looking towards the horizon.  The dark, empty desert night has been sliced open by a bright gash across the horizon, as though the very air itself was on fire.  The men raise their weapons, forming a line of defense between Mireanna and the strange phenomenon, ready to fight as the portal continues to rip open and thereby revealing the most puzzling sight behind the veil.  What should have been desert behind the shimmer is instead a lush, green forest, filled with sparkling light and chattering wildlife.  And the sky, instead of the color of midnight, glowed a deep purple and was filled with dancing lights.  Clearly the paradise that hid the Temple of All-Mother was no mere myth.

 

As the party looks on in awe and fear, three cloaked figures step through the void, their hoods drawn over their faces making them indiscernible.  Despite the lack of identifiable features, it’s clear to all of the travelers that these are temple acolytes.

 

Karesh pushes forward to the front of the line guarding the noble woman, thrusting his spear towards the figures as they move towards the barrier of wagons.  “Halt!  By the grace of Lady Mireanna, heir to the House of Callak, I order you to stop!  Speak!  Who are you?”

 

The three acolytes stop at the barrier of wagons, quietly staring at the travelers, unmoving despite the plethora of weapons pointed at them.  As the tension between the two parties began to mount, the woman in the middle lowers her hood and grins at the terrified soldiers.

 

“Greetings, travelers! I can assure you that we mean you no harm,” the young woman says cheerily, clearly unperturbed by the weapons aimed at them.  “We were worried about you, you’re a day late, after all!  Now, why don’t you lower your weapons and so that we can resume discussions in a civilized manner.”

 

Mireanna’s men lower their weapons slowly, glaring at the three women who are still standing calmly in front of the agitated travelers.  Even though the women are not armed, Karesh instinctively knows that attacking the acolytes would be foolish.  Acknowledging the command given to them by the acolyte, Karesh calls out to his crew, “Put down your weapons, men.  We’re not here to fight—we’re guests in their haven and will act as such.”

 

“Thank you, Karesh.  We appreciate your cooperation and can assure you that so long as you obey our commands, no harm will come to any of you.” the middle woman speaks calmly and smoothly as if there hadn’t been a tense stand-off just a few minutes ago.  Despite her neutral tone, all the travelers know that there is also a threat underlying her words—these women are protected by All-Mother, after all.  As the men put down their weapons and begin packing up the camp, the middle woman speaks again, informing the caravan of their next steps.  “The head priestess is waiting for you and is preparing for the blessing.  If you follow us, we’ll be happy to lead you to safer quarters for the time-being.  Lady Mireanna, if you would, please follow us so that we may brief you on what is to happen—we wouldn’t want to keep the high priestess waiting.  Despite her infinite power, wisdom, and knowledge, she’s surprisingly impatient for someone of her status.”

 

The other two women behind the lead acolyte chuckle at her joke.  Apparently the head priestess’ demeanor was well-known within her followers realm.  Mireanna, unnerved by the ethereal nature of the entire situation agrees and accepts the terms set forth by the acolytes.  As she walks towards the three women and begins to follow them towards the veil, something about the past events sent chills down her spine.  She expected that her name would be well known by the followers of All-Mother since it was her child that was receiving the blessing; but Karesh’s title should have been unknown to these women.  Mireanna never mentioned him in her letters to the temple and Karesh had not stated his name.

 

Worried, Mirenna begins to ask the head acolyte how she became of such knowledge.  Though it seemed trivial, if they knew even her attendants’ names, what else did they know?  “How did you—”

 

“How did I know your guard’s name?” Mireanna is cut off by the head acolyte before she can finish her question.  Apparently queries like this were common as the woman laughs lightly and continues towards the portal leisurely, unbothered by the worry laden in Mireanna’s voice.  After a brief pause she answers simply, “Oh, Lady Mireanna.  Didn’t Karesh warn you about our head priestess and her abilities?  She is blessed by All-Mother, after all.”

 

Mireanna is about to protest before she’s interrupted again.  “Now, no more questions until we’re behind the veil.  We wouldn’t want to keep the head priestess waiting!”


	2. Chapter 2

It was clear to all the foreigners that once they had entered the sanctuary that hid the Temple of All-Mother there was no turning back unless given explicit permission to do so.  The relic had been protected and kept away from prying eyes for centuries due to the diligence of the priestesses and acolytes that lived in the veil and it was apparent from the level of magic cloaking this place that this duty had been taught well across generations of holy women.  They had been trained to do _anything_ to protect this holy place—including killing those that posed a serious threat if need be.

 

Attempting to shake the unsettling thoughts out of her mind, Mireanna looks around at the lush and vibrant scenery that surrounds her and can’t help but feel more at ease despite her position as a humbled guest in the land of All-Mother.  All around the noble woman are the sounds of novel animals and insects and in the far distance she swears she can hear the soft rumble of a river.  Fireflies decorate the air as they zip in and out of the bountiful and diverse evergreen foliage that crowds over the ground.   Even with the underlying threat of danger if anyone stepped out of line, the serenity of the natural landscape around Mireanna made her feel as though she too was protected by the grace of All-Mother

 

“You should tell your soldiers to be a little more relaxed,” the center acolyte chuckles.  She can clearly tell that the guests were tense and it was beginning to annoy her.  “There’s nothing here that can hurt them—at least not seriously.”

 

At the look of horror that crossed Mireanna’s face the acolyte laughs and shakes her head.  “I kid, I kid.  I know that joke was poor in taste but seriously, there’s nothing here that can cause you harm.  So long as you or your men don’t agitate the wildlife or try to purposely damage the environment you will not be harmed.  It’s safer here than anywhere in the Meridian Jewell and you live near there, yeah?”

 

Mireanna nods and resumes walking in silence, holding Kaliah close to her breast and still on high alert.  Karesh’s warnings about being a lowly guest in a holy place still ring through her ears and she’s worried about getting her newborn daughter through this.  _What exactly have I got Kaliah and myself into?_

 

“Look, let’s start with introductions, okay?” pointing at herself, she continues her spiel.  “I’m Shēn, the woman who never smiles is Hsu-Vey, and the oldest of all of us is named Sandoval.  She’s the reason why we can’t go too fast or else she may break her back!”

 

Sandoval rolls her eyes and continues to walk on in silence.  Despite not responding to Shēn’s teasing Mireanna can tell that she’s not bothered by it and the noble woman swears she sees the hint of a smile dancing across Sandoval’s lips.

 

“It is nice to meet you three,” Mireanna says politely and she bows slightly—which is much harder to do when one is walking and holding a baby.  “I assume you already know all of our names and stories but for formality’s sake: I am Mireanna, heir to the House of Callak and this is my child, Kaliah.  We are honored and humbled that you would accept our request for a blessing from All-Mother.  It means the world to us.”

 

“Oh! Don’t thank us!” exclaimed Shēn, waving off her gratitude.  “Thank the head priestess!  She almost never agrees to bless anyone so the fact that she’s decided to do three ceremonies in one year is pretty spectacular.  She must have finally rolled off the right side of the bed this annum.”

 

“Shēn, you know better than to talk about the head priestess like that,” Sandoval says archly.  Despite the head priestess’ status amongst the followers of All-Mother, it was clear that though she was well-respected she also wasn’t above being  teased.  Knowing this, Mireanna could feel herself relax a little more—perhaps she wasn’t in as perilous a position as she thought.  If there was such camaraderie between all of the women in the temple perhaps Karesh’s warnings weren’t as severe as the noble woman was worried they would be.

 

“You all seem to love this woman, yet also jest about her.  She must be quite the remarkable individual if you feel this secure around her, no?”

 

This time Hsu-Vey, who hadn’t made a single sound since she had stepped out from behind the veil, spoke.  Her tone was even and clear, and it was apparent to Mireanna that this woman didn’t speak unless it was absolutely necessary.  “She has changed everything—and for the better.”

 

After a moment to carefully choose her next words, Hsu-Vey continues in an almost reverent tone.  “Before she was anointed as the head priestess, she was a great acolyte.  One of legend.  Not only was she gifted in scripture and ritual, she was also bestowed with great intelligence, knowledge, and ability.  She could build anything, think of anything to make our lives easier.  Irrigation, fishing, energy for our lamps—all of it changed to the point where the temple, once considered ‘primitive’ now is a pinnacle of innovation.  Yet despite her many gifts, she is also blessed with great humility.”

 

The other two holy women nod in assent but remain silent, allowing for Hsu-Vey to continue her ablutions of the priestess.  “Her talent extends beyond the secular too.  Never before have our prayers been answered so, nor the nature and wildlife more abundant.  She understands the core being of the gods and the All-Mother.  How to correctly and most efficiently contact and work with the pantheon without angering them.  And her magic is more powerful than any before.  Even though All-Mother has gone to rest, we know that our priestess will find a way to find and awake her again.”

 

The three acolytes allow the words to sink and continue to steadily march on, locked onto their ultimate destination.  Though Mireanna had heard the rumors of the priestess’ capabilities, she could tell from Hsu-Vey’s words alone that they were woefully pithy compared to what the woman had actually achieved.  If this woman was truly as great as she seemed to be then the blessing little Kaliah was to receive would be monumental.  Yet despite knowing this woman’s achievements, Mireanna still felt as though she knew nothing substantial about this priestess.

 

“You speak highly of her, yet you haven’t used her name once,” Mireanna queried, confused as to why a woman of such nature would remain nameless.  “If she is as great as her legend suggests, why do people know so little about her?”

 

The three women look amongst each other and Mireanna can finally see a sign of discomfort between them.  Clearly she had touched on a sensitive subject as all three of the acolytes’ shoulders seemed to stiffen and their gait seemed to pick up speed.

 

“We mentioned her humility as to why she never speaks about herself, yet it isn’t the only reason why she remains such an enigma—including to her followers,” Sandoval finally murmurs.  Mireanna has to strain to hear what the other woman has to say; clearly the past of their leader is an unpleasant subject even to the direct followers of All-Mother.  “As Karesh probably already told you, little is known about her—even by our own acolytes.  Anyone that knew her before she became the priestess is either dead, too senile to remember, or refuses to speak of her past.  No one is sure of her place of origin and she has refused to tell any of us.  Even her true name is unknown and she only answers to the one bestowed to her by the All-Mother during her initiation rites.”

 

Mireanna doesn’t know what to say.  She was already in awe of the head priestess and can only imagine what it must be like as an acolyte.  To live in such close proximity to so ethereal a figure and yet know nothing about them must have been disorientating and in a way, terrifying.  While pondering about this conundrum, the creeping sense of dread Mireanna had felt earlier slowly slithers its way back into the pit of her stomach and she clutched Kaliah closer to her chest.

 

After a long period of trekking in silence the three women lead the group to a break in the foliage and signal for the group to stop.  Peering around the acolytes to understand what the holdup was, Mireanna can only gasp at the spectacle she sees.  The noble woman’s caravan had been led to a large, calm, and shallow river that must have been at least a hundred feet wide.  It was the brightest blue the young noble had ever seen, so clear that the fish and other animals could be seen swimming through the waters.  Yet even though the river was an impressive sight, it was the monument that lay beyond it on the other side that was truly remarkable.  A few dozen feet away from the edge of the riverbed was a massive temple that must have been at least five times the size of the Sun Ring that dominated the city of Meridian.  All of Mireanna’s group stared in awe at the architectural marvel, dumbstruck at how seemingly primitive monks so removed from society could build such a monolith.

 

From what Mireanna could discern from her position, the temple appeared to be at least three stories high and impeccably crafted—there were no flaws or inconsistencies found in its architecture or structure.  A large rectangular plaza was framed by two, gold icosahedral-shaped wings on each side and it was clear that each of these sections had their own significant purpose.  The building was made out of pristine, black marble and was covered in plants and moss, obscuring the beautiful dark marble.  From only looks alone, the noble woman could tell that the value of this pantheon was limitless and its worth would put even the Sun King’s wealth to the test.  After seeing the temple for the first time, Mireanna could understand one of the reasons why this place was hidden with magic.  If anyone with nefarious intentions happened upon the temple it would be ransacked within a day, stripped down to its parts and sold to the highest bidders.

 

“Isn’t it just marvelous?” inquired Shēn as she watched the foreigners’ awe in amusement.  “I can tell you’re wondering how we built it—well the answer is that we didn’t.  According to our head priestess, it’s ancient—older than the very mountain range that surrounds the temple.  It’s very likely that the All-Mother herself built this holy shrine before the other gods were even born.”

 

“It’s…amazing.  I’ve never seen anything like it before,” Mireanna whispers, still amazed by the sites that surrounded her.  Looking back at her guards she can tell that even the Apollo-worshipping Karesh and his men were impressed and awed by the sanctuary they were witnessing.  After taking a little more time to observe the scenery, Mireanna is eager to get into the temple and settle down.  Even though the place was tranquil, Kaliah was getting progressively more agitated without having a solid place to lay down.  “Shēn, my apologies but my child and I need to lay down; I love all that you have shown us but as a mother with a newborn it’s been an exhausting last few hours.”

 

Shēn widens her eyes and exclaims, “Oh gosh, my apologies I totally wasn’t thinking!  We’ll ferry you across right away.”

 

The young acolyte raises both her arms and points her hands towards the water, green light surrounding them.  As she does so the water begins to bubble vigorously and slowly a large raft surfaces in front of the party, wobbling slightly before stilling completely just like the river it floated in.

 

“Hop on, hop on!  Once you’re all on board we’ll ferry you across!” Shēn and the two other acolytes board the platform and wait patiently as Mireanna’s party slowly loads themselves onto the small makeshift boat.  Once everyone was onboard and secure, Shēn waves her hand and the raft moves forward, slowly making its way across the river.

 

Once the raft reaches solid ground and everyone had de-boarded, Mireanna is finally able to see the glory of the shrine up close.  From just a quick observation she could tell that the temple truly was a mix between the simple life of pious individuals and emergent innovation.  The fields leading from the riverbed to the steps of the temple were full of lush vegetation that contained diverse crops and small statues from a variety of time periods depicting the All-Mother where a few other acolytes sat praying quietly.  At the same time there was an advanced irrigation system set up from a massive water wheel and gate system that optimized the amount of water reaching the harvest and helped siphon off fish to be caught and prepared.  To the other side of the sanctuary was a carriage-sized box of metal with a plethora of ropes winding towards the tops of the temple’s floors and spreading out amongst a massive amount of glowing lights that hung from the top of the sanctuary’s ceilings.  The globes of light also line the main pathway leading up to the massive stairs that beckon to the temple’s main entrance, causing the whole area to be illuminated in a beautiful yellow haze.  Mireanna had never seen anything like this before—it was unknown sorcery and she couldn’t help but feel somewhat afraid.  _Truly a powerful magic is at work here._

 

As Shēn guides the party to the magnificent steps she stops and turns around as the other two acolytes head into the temple.  “This is it!  This is where we live in the blessing and harmony of All-Mother.  Now before you enter, I must let you know that men are not allowed in the temple unless for ceremonial purposes.  Lady Mireanna your men will sleep in the guest quarters to the west of the temple.  Karesh, please follow the red pathway, it will lead you straight to your lodgings for the next few days.  We will send a messenger to you later tonight to clarify any further instructions.”

 

Mireanna looks towards Karesh and can see that the man is incensed and insulted at the proposal set forth by Shēn.  The noble woman could tell that no matter what she said next it wouldn’t be enough to stop him from speaking his opinion on this tradition.  When Mireanna had decided to voyage with her trusted guard at her side, shew knew that the potential for the soldier to be disgruntled would be high.  Karesh had always thought of the traditions and followers of All-Mother as eccentric, delusional, and somewhat blasphemous.  To pray to a goddess who’s influence was hardly felt anymore instead of to the powerful sun god Apollo, who regularly blessed his loyal worshippers, was not only foolhardy but also against the very nature of the world.  In his mind it was men who were pre-ordained leaders and the stronger humans.  They were the sex that was truly meant to guide nations and commiserate with the gods directly.  Though Mireanna was a disciple primarily of the church of Apollo she had always found value in also praying to the All-Mother and so inevitably Karesh’s more traditional line of thought and her more nuanced views had always been a point of contention in their relationship.

 

Now she feared that his stubbornness would damn them all and send their entire party away when they were so close to the gates.

 

“Lady Shēn, while I speak for all when I say that we appreciate your kindness towards us as strangers I cannot leave my liege’s side.  It would be remiss of my duty as her personal guard and so I must insist that you at least allow me free passage through the temple while we stay here.”

 

Shēn’s cheery demeanor, which had remained constant almost the entire time she had talked to them, immediately runs off her face and is instead replaced by a disappointed frown.

 

“Karesh, I don’t know what the confusion is about,” Shēn states flatly, shaking her head.  “I was clear in my instructions—men are in no circumstances allowed in the temple unless given direct permission by the head priestess or for ceremonial purposes.”

 

Looking towards Lady Mireanna, Shēn states, “Mireanna, again I ask you to please have Karesh escort your men towards the quarters west of here.  If you cannot comply, we will have to turn you back.”

 

“Do _not_ ignore me, acolyte. You will speak to me directly if it’s I you have a problem with,” Karesh hisses at Shēn, slowly walking towards the holy woman and stopping directly in front of the young woman to glare at her eye to eye.  The confrontation between the two had roused the other acolytes in the area and a small crowd gathered around the factions, murmuring to each other anxiously and giving furtive glances at the two arguing parties.

 

“You prevent me from entering due to sanctions placed by a goddess that doesn’t even care about her followers anymore, who refuses to answer any plea or prayer sent by her most loyal,” Karesh spits, pointing his finger towards Shēn’s face.  “The righteous sun god Apollo, who has just recently graced his followers with a bountiful harvest, would _never_ allow such blasphemy.  No, he would abide by the natural and rightful hierarchy of _who_ gives the orders.”

 

“Karesh!  Please, stop!  We are guests in this place and must abide by their rules,” Mireanna exclaims.  She couldn’t believe that her guard’s xenophobic and sexist beliefs we even being spoken out loud.  The noble woman was aware of how others viewed the Carja as an arrogant and elitist culture, and she was ashamed that these stereotypes were being proved true.

 

Shēn, who had been the absolute model of composure is now visibly angry and stalks closer to Karesh.  This time her voice isn’t muted and gradually escalates in volume as she retorts, “I can see that the respect doesn’t go both ways—you refuse to even consider our traditions.  Your habitual way of thinking isn’t only outdated, it’s blatantly wrong you obsolete idiot.”

 

Karesh, who Mireanna can tell is past annoyance and is now enraged, looks like he is about to continue to argue with the acolyte when a sharp, clear voice reverberates throughout the area. 

 

“What is this nonsense?  I hope you are all aware that some people are attempting to study scripture and meditate at this hour.”

 

At the sound of the tone all of the acolytes in the area, including the arguing Shēn, turn and kneel towards the source.  Mireanna looks at the direction where the holy women face and sees a slim woman walking down the steps of the temple.  Unlike the garb of the acolytes, who are all wearing simple tan robes, the hooded woman slowly making her way down wears a short-sleeved, lapeled grey tunic and pants.  From the outfit alone, Mireanna knows that this woman is different than the others and she gasps when realizes who it is.  _It’s her, the high priestess of legend—and the first words she hears from us are ones of bigotry and spite. Apollo help us all._

 

“High priestess, my apologies,” Shēn blurts out, clearly ashamed of her behavior.  “I tried to explain to Karesh and his men about the traditions of our temple and—”

 

“I am aware of what occurred, Shēn.  The question was only rhetorical in nature,” the priestess says, cutting her acolyte off.  Despite the power dynamics between the two women Mireanna notices that there’s no anger or malice in the priestess’ tone.  Instead there seems to be a bit of, _playfulness?_   Nodding to her acolytes, the priestess states, “You may stand, followers of All-Mother.  Let me speak to Karesh and Lady Mireanna on my own so that we do not come to blows.”

 

The acolytes of All-Mother stand and circle around the high priestess and Mireanna’s group, forming an inescapable ring and forcing the Carja to listen to  what this woman had to say.  As the holy woman walks towards Karesh she lowers her hood revealing a head of short, flame-red hair and sharp hazel eyes that tell of untold knowledge and seem to bore deep into their very souls.  Her face is arranged in a stern and unyielding manner and any humor that may have been there earlier is gone.  She stops in front of the soldier and gives him a harsh stare that even withers the hardened Karesh before addressing the disgruntled man.

 

“You have to understand my extreme disappointment at the situation, Karesh.  I was just about to start my nightly mediations to the beautiful rush of the river, the late-night chants of my acolytes, and the chatter of nature,” the priestess shakes her head condescendingly, as if talking to a small, petulant child.  “But rather than meditating to those sounds when I sat down, I instead hear the bleating of an outdated old man berating one of my loyal acolytes about our perverted traditions and that we are, what did you say, disobeying natural order?”

 

Karesh, who had finally recovered after the initial shock of seeing the priestess’ arrival hardens himself and lashes back at the head priestess.  “Head priestess while I appreciate your hospitality so far, need I remind you of the guests that you host?  You speak to no plebian woman but the wife of a Carja noble and one of the most esteemed generals of any court.”

 

The priestess is silent and her face remains unreadable as Karesh continues to explain his side of the story.  “And yes, I do mean what I say when I talked about the ‘natural order.’  Your All-Mother is powerful and may grant women in her realm authority but it is common knowledge that the sun god Apollo and his _male_ followers have been the ones most recently favored by the gods and given reign of the entire outside world.  How do you describe the meteoric rise of the Carja over the past one hundred years?”

 

“Simple.  Genocide, imperialism, and oppression are three words that come to mind,” says the high priestess drily, accented by the muted laughs of the acolytes in the background.  The blatant disregard for the Carja’s rules take the honored guard by surprise but the priestess appears to not notice and continues on.  “Regardless of whether the traditions of your race are affirmed by Apollo or not, need I remind you of who gave birth to you?  The one that gives you orders?  Of the _woman_ who created the entire earth and even the god you so dearly love?”

 

It’s faint but Mireanna can hear an undercurrent of fury underneath the priestess’ voice and the noble woman no longer just fears that they’ll be turned away but for the very life of her family guard.

 

“You _dare_ talk down to me in such a manner?” Karesh yells, no longer caring about whether he was being obstructive.  The long journey and perceived disrespect by those of the All-Mother had made the guard snap and he no longer had any patience to deal with anymore annoyances.  “I feel badly for Lady Mireanna but you and your kind need to—"

 

Shaking her head in disappointment the head priestess steps forward so quickly not even the other skilled soldiers could see her move.  Her hands glow green as she places two fingers of one hand on the general’s forehead and adamantly states, “Karesh.  There will be no more argument on this matter.  I have given you a chance to go to the guest quarters of your own volition and I can see that is no longer an option.  You _will_ go to the lodge and promptly sleep.  I will send attendants over at dawn to check on you then.”

 

The rest of Mireanna’s men move in, weapons out.  Seeing this the head priestess steps away from Karesh and lowers her hands, a smug smile on her face.  “Don’t worry, I haven’t hurt him.  But after his next words you will all follow him to your quarters and we will move on from this mess.”

 

A foot soldier calls out angrily in defense of his captain’s honor.  “If you think for one moment that we’ll listen to you after this, you’re sadly mistaken.  What you’ve done could be interpreted as an act of war!  The gall of—”

 

“Men, stand down!”

 

Karesh’s voice rings out across the area, stopping them from attacking the woman.  “She’s right and it is by her grace we haven’t been cast out already.  We will make our way to our assigned quarters and await further instructions as dictated by the high priestess.”

 

Mireanna is shocked to see the rest of the soldiers immediately stand at attention and nod in collective agreement to Karesh’s commands.  They gather the gear and walk west towards the small, posh bungalow that could be seen from a distance.  _At least they’ll be comfortable._

“Now then,” Mireanna turns towards the head priestess who’s strolling towards her at a leisurely pace.  She stops in front of Mireanna and looks softly at Kaliah, reaching out and gently cupping the baby’s head.  After attending to Kaliah, the priestess looks up and smiles at the noble woman.  “That’s enough distractions for now.  As the head priestess here, I want to formerly welcome you to the Temple of All-Mother.  You and Kaliah must be exhausted from your long journey here, so I won’t keep your time for too long.  I’ll have one of my acolytes escort you and Kaliah to your room where you’ll be staying for the next few days before and after the blessing is performed.”

 

She turns and begins heading towards the massive steps not looking back to see if Mireanna was following her.  That must have been the cue for her to follow and she slowly makes her way behind the priestess, still slightly in awe from the holy woman’s subtly grand entrance.  The noble had so many questions and didn’t know where to start.

 

“T-t-thank you for your kindness, head priestess.  I want to apologize on behalf of Karesh.  It was so out of character for him to do something like that and I—”

 

The woman waves off Mireanna’s apology and chuckles.  “I have seen worse, Lady Mireanna.  His behavior, though offensive, was hardly enough to turn us away from giving you and Kaliah the blessing that you came here for.”

 

“Your legends don’t do your grace justice—head-I’m sorry. I feel awkward just calling you ‘head priestess.’  It all seems so, cold.  If you don’t mind me asking, what should I call you?”

 

The priestess stops flat in her tracks and after a brief pause she turns around and looks at Mireanna with an unreadable expression on her face.  “Sobeck.  That is the name bestowed upon me by the All-Mother herself and the only one I answer to.”  Turning around Sobeck continues to the base of the staircase, talking to Mireanna as she ascends the temple steps.  “Now, enough questions as we’ve been delayed long enough.  You have a big day tomorrow and you should be well-rested for it!”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I think we only have a few more chapters left of this story. Hopefully I can get it done before I need to start studying for Step. 
> 
> I know that it seems that we have a lot of exposé left but I promise that by next chapter a lot of things are going to start falling together and making sense. The action's going to pick up, I promise. Thanks for bearing with me!

While growing up amongst the Carja nobility Mireanna had seen her fair share of beautiful architecture and wealthy residences, however the inside of the Temple of All-Mother put them all to shame.  The outside of the sanctuary had expertly hid the true inner workings of the temple and Mireanna was beyond shocked by what the All-Mother had been able to construct.  Each crevice in the temple was inlaid with pure gold and the stained glass that inlaid the panels of the domes were studded with a variety of precious jewels.  Each picture depicted a historical event important in the life of the All-Mother and contained art that would put even the finest Carja artisans to shame.  In all her life it was possible that Mireanna had never seen anything as marvelous as this building.

 

“I think you dropped your jaw on the floor somewhere, Lady Mireanna,” Sobeck laughs as she notices the Carja noble looking around in awe.  “I know, the temple can be a little gaudy and overdone but it’s our home and we love it.  Since it’s so late and I’m sure that everyone wants to sleep I’ll have one my acolytes show you around later—tomorrow perhaps?”

 

“Thank you for the kind offer, Sobeck,” Mireanna gracefully states.  “And I agree, Kaliah and I are exhausted and I believe we would get more from the tour when we are well-rested and fed.”

 

Sobeck makes a noise of assent and continues to wind the mother and daughter through the palace, allowing the two guests quick glances of what lay deeper inside.  They soon reach another set of stairs that leads to what Mireanna assumes are the visitor’s lodgings.  At the base of the stairs Sobeck stops and turns around, a small smile on her face.

 

“Here is where I leave you and Kaliah, Mireanna.  I have much to prepare before the blessing but we’ll see each other soon.  I have sent for another acolyte to lead you around the grounds and sanctuary tomorrow and to answer any questions you may have.”

 

As if right on queue a young acolyte walks down the stairs to meet the Carja nobles, bowing to Sobeck before turning towards the noble woman and greeting the two foreigners with a warm smile.  “Good evening, Lady Mireanna and Kaliah from House Callak.  My name is Vala and I will be your liaison during your stay at the temple.  Please don’t hesitate to ask questions while you are here.”

 

“Thank you, Vala,” Mireanna says graciously, eager to get to her residence so that she and Kaliah could lay down after their long few days of travel.  “You have all been so kind to us, even after that mishap earlier, and I appreciate all that you have done.”

 

“Of course!  It would be remiss of us as humble servants of All-Mother to disrespect those that need our help,” Vala replies courteously.  The young acolyte turns towards Sobeck and bows again to the high priestess, indicating that she had the situation under control.  “Thank you for the introductions, Sobeck—I believe I can handle the rest from here.”

 

“I believe you are right, Vala,” Sobeck exclaims jovially, smiling kindly at Vala and then turning around to head to what Mireanna assumed was her own personal quarters.  As she walks away, cheerily humming incantations of the temple, the priestess says one last thing over her shoulder, “Let me know if any complications arise, the both of you.  We will meet again when the time comes.”

 

As Sobeck walks away while still humming, Vala can only shake her head with an exasperated but affectionate look on her face.  “She’s always been a little quirky, but I guess you kind of have to be when you’re as gifted like she is.  Luckily, despite her eccentricities, nothing really seems to phase her.  She’s as calm and level-headed with the best of them.”

 

As Mireanna nods in understanding Vala gestures for her and Kaliah to follow.  “Now, I believe you and Kaliah have a well-deserved date with Morpheus, no?  Follow.”

 

* * *

 

 

The sound of the acolytes’ early-morning hymns echoing throughout the temple slowly roused Mireanna from the soft, luxurious bed that kept her warm during the night.  Instead of getting up right away, the noble woman lay in her bed for a short while, listening to the chants.  They were hauntingly beautiful and the melody seemed to tell a story as old as the beginning of time itself. 

 

The sounds of Kaliah’s disgruntled babbling soon rouses the mother and she makes her way to the adjacent room to check on her daughter.  When Kaliah hears her mother open the door, thus signaling her entrance, she immediately ceases her complaining, causing Mireanna to roll her eyes.  _She’s getting too smart, already knows how to manipulate me into tending her needs at such a young age._

As she lets Kaliah feed, the Carja noble woman decides to explore the rooms now that they were bathed in the bright light of the morning.  From the layout of the two rooms, Mireanna deduces that the two sleeping quarters that she and her baby slept in must have been originally one room, repurposed for mothers like her who were traveling to bestow blessings upon their children.  Unlike the rest of the temple, which was lavishly decorated and full of color, the sleeping quarters were instead composed of a polished white marble with very few other accents in the room.  In the center of Mireanna’s room was a simple, twin-sized bed that had been meticulously pressed and cleaned before she had taken residence the night before.  On the wall that that faced the courtyard there was a standard-sized window that gave any occupants a clear view of the natural scenery beyond.  Kaliah’s room was a small offshoot of the main area, separated by a thin door and contained a simple, wooden crib and a smaller window that brought in natural light and sounds to help soothe any sleeping children.

 

“Lady Mireanna, are you awake?” Vala’s voice resonates through the door and alerts Mireanna to her presence.  “Sobeck has told me that I should show you around today. I’ll be outside your door when you are ready.”

 

“Thank, Vala.  I will be outside soon,” Mireanna replies, excited to see the temple of legend.  Looking back at a sated Kaliah, Mireanna coos, “Alrighty, little one.  Now that you’ve been fed and cleaned up, let’s get ready for the day.  It looks like we have a big adventure ahead of us!”

 

* * *

 

 

The tour of the temple exceeded Mireanna’s expectations and Vala’s enthusiastic commentary only helped augment the sites that they were privy to seeing.  The young acolyte started the proceedings by having the small group view the two east-side wings of the temple, excited to teach the Carja noble all about their revered traditions.  The first wing held a beautiful library that spanned all three stories.  Each floor was filled to the brim with shelves that held countless scrolls and tomes that contained the entire annals of all the history, scripture, literary works, and scientific knowledge that was available to mankind.  If Mireanna was a betting woman, she would guess that there was more knowledge and information collected here than in the entire Sun King’s personal collections.  The walls of the library were framed by beautiful stained glass windows that depicted the myths and creation of the All-Mother and allowed for beautiful, colored light to filter in during the day time.  There were also dozens of alcoves on the third floor where many acolytes were already present, deep in their studies and surrounded by countless scriptures.

 

“This is one of the many locations where all acolytes and Matriarchs are required to congregate at least once a day,” Vala explained as she watched Mireanna gaze at the library in awe.  “Though it can be tedious work, it is always wonderful to see our collections grow each day.”

 

The acolyte leads Mireanna to the center of the library to an octagonal desk where behind it sat a middle-aged woman who was furiously writing in a massive book.  She was so involved in her work that she didn’t even look up at the approaching guests until Vala cleared her throat.

 

“One moment, please.  As you can see I’m very busy transcribing the latest decree from the Oseram mayor of Storm Forge and so if you want to check something out—”

 

“Ebadji, it’s me! Vala!” the young acolyte explained, barely able to hold back her laughter at the controlled franticness of the woman behind the desk.

 

Ebadji looks up and squints at Vala for a moment before her eyes brighten and she gives Vala one of the biggest smiles that Mireanna had ever seen.  “Vala!  Oh, my sincerest apologies, you’ll have to forgive me!  I was just so focused on my work as I’ve never seen—”

 

“Ebadji!  It’s okay, you’re fine!” Vala laughs.  “I just wanted to let you meet the guests that are to receive the blessing of All-Mother in two days’ time.  They’ve been nothing but gracious so far and are very curious about our rituals and traditions.  Perhaps you can inform them of what we do here?”

 

“Of course, I would love to!” Ebadji exclaimed, a burst of fire behind her eyes.  She stands up from behind the desk and opens a door, stepping out and bowing slightly to Mireanna.  “Here us followers are required to record and add any new insight and historical events while at the same time also learn from the information already contained in the archives.  The goal is to create a comprehensive codex that will be able to transcend generations of acolytes.  As Sobeck says, ‘knowledge is power’, and so this area is one of our most carefully guarded.  If you are interested in reading anything in this collection you will have to obtain consent from me in order to gain permission to do so.”

 

Ebadji begins walking towards the next wing of the temple, continuing to give Mireanna context as to what this portion of the sanctuary held.  This part of the monolith was brightly lit and as they entered the Carja woman could see many square pillows laid out in orderly rows.  There were no other floors to this part of the holy structure.  Instead this section was its own entire room, essentially a smaller version of the central plaza between the east and west wings.

 

“Here we have our mediation and forum room.  Our acolytes are encouraged to not only meditate here but also read scripture and discuss any literature that we deem worthy enough to do so.  We often have hearty and engaging conversations, Sobeck would expect nothing less of us,” Ebadji says reverently.  Mireanna can tell that this wing was clearly the acolyte’s turf and that she took her duty as its keeper very seriously.  Ebadji nodded towards the end of the room and continues to explain the layout.  “This part of the temple leads out towards the eastern gardens.  I guess if we’re be honest, it’s the more primitive one.  The western garden is, well, you’ll see.”

 

Mireanna is about to ask Ebadji to clarify what she meant but Vala indicates that it’s time to move on to the other parts of the sanctuary.  “Ebadji, thanks for taking time out of your day to meet with us but we must move on with our tour.  Mireanna, if you’d follow me we’ll head to our next destination!”

 

Ebadji nods and starts walking back to her desk.  As Mireanna and Vala are about to leave the library the librarian calls out, “It was wonderful to meet you, Lady Mireanna.  Please feel free to return if you desire to read from our athenaeum.”

 

* * *

 

 

As they walk towards the western wings, they pass through the enormous central plaza that divided the temple in half.  It is here where the most lavish of decorations lie, as the ceiling of this structure contained paintings and stained-glass windows depicting the most wonderful of geometric patterns and natural scenery.  Looking closer Mireanna can tell that the colors in the pictures was due to actual sheets of precious gemstones that were cut flawlessly and still managed to portray depth in the images.

 

“I’m sure Shēn told you that we didn’t build this temple ourselves, yeah?” Vala asks, pausing a moment in the tour to admire the scenery herself.  “Well, we all like to jest that All-Mother only has the most distinguished of tastes.  Why else would she decorate with such extravagant materials?”

 

Laughing, Vala continues to explain what this location was used for.  “This place is our collective mediation and prayer hall.  The one you saw in the eastern area was for more individual purposes, mostly for studying and a place to rest during the day.  However this one is more ceremonial in its purpose as often our rituals are initiated here.    Since the exits of this all lead to a cardinal direction in way or another, therefore signifying the core of the earth, it’s clear that the All-Mother constructed this plaza as a holy place.  Perhaps this is the very center of where she created this revered sanctuary.”

 

After giving the Carja woman more time to look at the marvelous architecture, the young acolyte encourages the noble to move on to continue the rest of the tour.  There was much to see and Vala also wanted to make sure that Mireanna would be able to explore the impressive estate on her own.  Any visitor’s experience would be paltry if they never got to visit the beautiful gardens, after all.

 

* * *

 

 

They finished the tour of the temple by exploring the two west wings, which was right where Mireanna and Kaliah were staying, in fact.  The top two floors of the first west wing were all similarly structured, with the acolyte’s lodging above the guest quarters.  The bottom floor was a lounge where foreigners and parishioners alike could reside and tell each other stories or simply mingle in peace.  The second west wing mirrored the other eastern-most wing in that it was its own, large room that lacked higher levels.  However this one had no pillows but instead four massive dining tables that filled the majority of the room.  At the end of the hall was a table that faced the four others and Mireanna surmised that only the most important individuals were allowed to be seated there.

 

As if reading her mind, Vala began to clarify the layout of the room.  “This is our main dining hall, where the acolytes, Matriarchs, and head priestess gather to commune, pray, and dine together.  The Matriarchs, senior acolytes, and Sobeck herself all sit at the table that heads the room while the rest of us are seated at the four other tables.  Though it may seem demeaning to have the most esteemed followers of All-Mother sit so far away from us, it’s actually quite the opposite.  They all encourage us to fraternize with them and discuss anything we want.”

 

Though not quite able to completely understand the idea of feeling at peace while being scrutinized by your superiors, Mireanna can still feel the sense of community that pervades the area.  Even somewhere as trivial as a dining hall held significant spiritual meaning to these monks—it truly was a sight to behold.

 

“When you join us for dinner tonight, you will be able to fully see how our dining rituals play out,” Vala says, smiling amusedly at Mireanna as the acolyte can sense the young mother’s confusion.  “In the meantime, there’s nothing here to really see.”

 

Vala starts walking out towards the exit that lay behind the head table, making sure to confirm that the noblewoman didn’t wander away on her own.  “Lady Mireanna, I must tell you that we have completed the tour of the inside of the temple.  Yet this is not the end; there is much more to show you—outside of course.  Where the All-Mother’s true glory can be appreciated.  Now, follow.”

 

* * *

  

When Mireanna finally views the western garden she can immediately see that the word, ‘garden’  was really a misnomer.  From first glance, the woman can tell that the garden was still pervaded by nature.  The beautiful red grasses that had suddenly appeared in the wilds only a couple of decades ago lined the borders of the miniature landscape while a small stream sliced through the middle of the ground, pooling into a large pond that helped move a smaller water wheel, which was not too unlike to the one Mireanna saw earlier.  It was the pipes that were embedded in the pond near the wheel, that alerted the noblewoman to the fact that this garden was more than met the eye.  The rods in the pond traveled to the metal box that she had noticed earlier, where an almost inaudible purr originated.  From the box many tendrils of what Mireanna could only describe as rope wound their way up to the temple ceilings, connecting the countless orbs seen from the ground.

 

Noticing Mireanna’s fixation on the strange contraption Vala takes it upon herself to explain the contraption to the befuddled woman.  “That thing there?  That’s Sobeck’s genius at work.  She found a way to harness water and somehow transform it into, well, energy, is the best way I can describe it.”

 

Pointing towards the small orbs on the ceiling Vala continues.  “The energy created by this, thing, lights up the temple at night and can be turned on and off as needed.  Sobeck thought that this was necessary in order to cut down on accidental candle fires that would sometimes occur when acolytes fell asleep in the library after studying too much scripture.”

 

Even though she heard what Vala had said, Mireanna can only stare in awe at the innovation happening in such a primitive temple.  The interaction between nature and woman was starkly seen, but unlike the Carja, the two weren’t in conflict.  They seemed to be almost fused together in a sense.  Neither of them attempting to establish dominance and augmenting each other’s natural strengths.  It was harmonious and the noble knew that even with the Sun Kingdom’s best minds that her people would never be able to achieve what the monks had done here.

 

“It’s so beautiful,” Mireanna whispers in awe.  “What you have achieved is beyond extraordinary.  Even the Sun Kingdom with all its knowledge, influence, and power, hasn’t achieved harmony between nature and machines like you have.  It appears we have much to learn.”

 

Vala cocks her head as she listens to Mireanna’s praise.  After hearing it, the young acolyte smiles and says happily, “Your people as a whole may have a lot to learn about the world but if there are more people like you in Meridian, I have a feeling that you will all come around much quicker than you think.”

 

The Carja mother graciously accepts Vala’s compliment and the two share a pleasant moment of silence before Vala urges them to move on.  “Now, we have much more to go through.  There is still the northern and eastern gardens that you should see.  Onwards.”

 

* * *

 

 

The eastern garden mirrors the size of the western garden but is slightly more in touch with nature as there are no man-made structures in this part of the temple.  Instead of the red grass that was abundant throughout the lands, this place was mostly embedded with small shrubbery and flora that were arranged into a small maze.  Many acolytes were seen walking in between the greenery, either praying alone as they strolled or talking amongst themselves.   This garden was also bordered by the river and at the banks were many benches and a small dock that allowed the holy women to enjoy the scenery and water.  In between the river bank and the rows of shrubbery was a cleared area that appeared to be flattened out and paved over. Here, Mireanna could see many acolytes practicing what appeared to be some form of slow-moving, graceful martial art.

 

“As you may have noticed, this garden is more focused on light meditation and recreation.  We are allowed to go swimming in the water, so long as we don’t disturb the fish,” Vala joked, walking quickly through the shrubbery and heading towards the northern area.  “There is also the ability to hone our bodies through martial arts and practice active meditation by walking through the maze.  Our leader emphasizes that both body and mind must be sharpened in order to fully achieve harmony with the All-Mother, thus we have all taken this teaching as a core responsibility.”

 

As they round the corner to view the final garden, Mireanna completely stops in her tracks at the sight she sees.  While the two other areas that they previously viewed were unique and beautiful, the northern garden was completely ethereal.  The width of the northern landscape completely dwarfed the other two and was nearly the same size of the entire temple layout itself.  A wide range of exotic and colorful foliage lined four main paved pathways that followed along the four cardinal directions and intersected at the middle where a spouting fountain lay.  In between the main pathways were four quadrants that were populated by even more plants and contained a multitude of winding trails within the shrubbery.  However it is the sight beyond the main landscape that catches the noblewoman’s eye.  A massive waterfall poured down into the flowing river below originating from a cavern high up in the mountain.  The downpour formed a misty cloud at the base of the sierra, shrouding the area where a small building sat at the base of the of the peak. 

 

“Vala…this is place is amazing,” Mireanna murmured, utterly speechless at the wonder.  The mother had seen her fair share of beautiful landscapes but even she had to admit that what she was currently looking at was special.

 

“It’s the hidden gem of the temple,” Vala says proudly, a satisfied smile on her face.  “No image or tale does it justice—the only way you can truly appreciate it is if you see it for yourself.”

 

Vala leads Mireanna through the garden towards the fountain, continuing to give the Carja woman information as they walked forwards.  As the young noble looks around, she can see that each of the plants and flowers are practically flawless and when Mireanna looks closer, it’s apparent that there’s a celestial glow to the flora. “The garden is almost as old as the temple itself.  This place contains species of plants seen nowhere else on earth and we are forbidden to take from the garden without explicit consent from the All-Mother—which is fine since the garden seems to take care of itself without our interference.  The only woman in all our history who has been given permission to manipulate the plants is Sobeck, and even then she rarely touches them unless she has to.”

 

“So essentially don’t touch anything here?” Mireanna asks carefully.  The Carja noblewoman remembered Karesh’s warnings about being constantly aware of customs and didn’t want to step on anymore toes after her guardsman had nearly come to blows with the head priestess.

 

“Indeed!  So long as you don’t disturb anything here you and your posse should be fine,” Vala says cheerily.  The two of them continue down the pathway towards the building near the waterfall and stop when they reach what could only be described as another fork in the road.  Looking towards the building, Mireanna can see that the building is in fact on an isolated island protected by a moat formed naturally by the river.  The only way to get to the other temple was by the pathway that the two women were currently standing on.  Before Mireanna can ask the acolyte what the building’s purpose was, the holy woman had already started to answer her query.

 

“This here is the personal residence of Sobeck,” Vala explains reverently.  From the tone of the acolyte’s voice, Mireanna can tell that this place also held significant spiritual weight to these holy women.  “Very few are allowed entrance into her fortress, only the elders and senior acolytes are given permission to enter at will.  They are also sworn to secrecy and so no one really knows what happens inside.  What is known, however, is that here is where she personally prays to the All-Mother, gaining insight and knowledge to guide us all to be better followers.”

 

After giving Mireanna some time to observe Sobeck’s residence from afar, the acolyte walks over to the Carja woman and signals for them to start heading back to the temple.  “Lady Mireanna, it is time for you to head back and meet with your soldiers, especially Karesh.  I am sure that they are all anxious to hear from you and the less we have to worry about disgruntled soldiers, the better.  Once you have met with him you’re free to explore the confines of the temple until dinner tonight.”

 

* * *

 

After checking in with her slightly disgruntled captain of the guard, who seemed to be at an uneasy peace with his temporary background role while at the temple, Mireanna decides to head towards the massive library to read up on the history of the religion and sanctuary.  Despite the thorough tour by Vala earlier, the noblewoman had a feeling that she had really only been shown the surface of the intricacies at play.  She didn’t know exactly where to start learning but she had an inkling of who would know where to begin.

 

“Excuse me, Ebadji, do you have a moment?”

 

The senior acolyte behind the desk looks up and smiles at the Carja guest. “Lady Mireanna, it is fantastic to see you again, how can I help you?”

 

“I was wondering if there were books on the foundations of your religion and its sacred rites,” Mireanna says tentatively.  Even though she had been treated honorably by the followers of All-Mother so far, she knew that Karesh’s past transgressions had planted a seed of wariness in the holy women and she didn’t want to potentially upset the monks even more.

 

If Ebadji held any suspicion towards Mireanna it didn’t seem to affect her interactions with the noblewoman.  In fact, the senior acolyte seemed incredibly eager to show the foreigner what to read.

 

“Of course, there is so much to learn.  So much knowledge to be had—I only hope I can give you a satisfactory introduction.  Come, come, follow me.”

 

The two women walk through the massive isles of shelves, Ebadji grabbing tomes and scrolls as they went along and handing them over to Mireanna to carry.

 

“The library supposedly contains accurate accounts and biographies originating from the very inception of this sanctuary.  Acolytes have the utmost dedication to their crafts, including recording the annals of our history.”

 

“How do you know they’re accurate?  Surely the passage of time has partially diluted the truths and interpretations of what was seen.”

 

“Faith and skill are both necessities in our line of work, Lady Mireanna.  Meditation and our gifted magic allows us to connect to the All-Mother intimately and obtain knowledge that normally would be beyond any mortal’s reach.”

 

They stop in front of a shelf that contains leather-bound books, each of them a different color and with a different font embossed on the spine; these books were clearly designed uniquely from the rest of the compendium.

 

“These are the annals and deeds of all our head priestesses, past and present.  Each leader is chosen personally by the previous priestess, guided by the All-Mother herself.  You are welcome to read any of these books, but do keep in mind that these are the only stories in this collection that may be—exaggerated,” Ebadji winks at Mireanna, a mischievous smile on her face.

 

Nodding in gratitude, Mireanna turns her attention towards the vast wall of legends, in awe of the sheer amount of history and mystique that she currently bore witness to.

 

“I can see that you’re currently occupied with all that you’re seeing now.  I’ll leave you and Kaliah to it; don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help with anything.  We wouldn’t want you to get lost in all these books.”

 

* * *

 

 

Separating myth from fact was difficult and while reading the accounts described by the dutiful acolytes, Mireanna wasn’t sure that there really was a difference between the two.  From what the noblewoman could discern from the ancient texts, the temple wasn’t discovered by the monks but rather had always been present in their lives.  Even the most primitive accounts detail the refuge and holiness provided by the temple to the women who first lived here.  It told of how hapless women were allowed to flourish and grow in the temple when the world seemed to burn, guided by a soft voice that seemed to echo inside their heads.  The decision to stay here and worship the All-Mother was cemented when a cool, green flame burned for one hundred days and left behind the wonderous gardens that surrounded the entire sanctuary.  The other gifts bestowed upon the All-Mother’s followers were also studiously recorded: the creation of the waterfall and river after their first well dried up, magic to fight off the monsters and cruel invaders, and the ability to read and write in order to record everything in posterity.  Not a single event, no matter if it was menial or significant, was left out.

 

Beyond the stories of origins and gifts were the legends of the high priestesses that led these holy women to greatness and stability.  There was no way that Mireanna could have read all of the individual accounts laid out by the scribes but she had made sure to peruse over the most notable of priestesses.  _Primavera, the first leader, who established the culture and rules that cemented the only source of order and safety when the world consisted of small, warring factions.  Arcadia, the first priestess who was gifted magic by the All-Mother and taught the other followers how to tap into Earth magic to fight off the monsters and would be invaders.  Pontema, the priestess who created a working relationship with the leaders of the outside world—allowing for the acolytes to move about freely as needed.  Altenheim, the bridge between nature in the sanctuary and the human acolytes, given permission by the All-Mother to hunt and fish as needed so long as prayers were given beforehand._

 

Even the more obscure head priestesses had their own mentions in the annals of history.  Nothing was left out from their leaders’ lives and all the biographies chronicled every event from their birth, death and everything in between; their lives were quite literally an open book.  All except for one.

 

“Nothing.  Absolutely nothing,” Mireanna murmured as she flipped through the pages of Sobeck’s biography.  When she tried to find the current head priestess’ tome the noblewoman was shocked when she saw how thin it was; for as lauded as Sobeck was, hardly anything was written about it.  What little that was on the pages was hardly of any real consequence.  _Naturally gifted in both magic and ‘technology,’ as they say.  Born in unknown lands.  Ascended to head priestess at only 20.  Brought light and irrigation to the temple._ Save for a few detailed notes on specific memorable moments, her absolute ‘obliteration’ of a troll that had bothered the temple for over fifty years had stood out to Mireanna, simple blurbs were really all that constituted Sobeck’s history.

 

“I don’t understand, she’s so powerful and respected and yet a few pages are all that are dedicated to her?  This doesn’t make sense.”

 

Mireanna scrolls through the book again, attempting to see if she had missed anything in her eagerness to learn about the enigmatic woman, almost desperate to discover what more constituted the woman who would soon give Kaliah a blessing from All-Mother.  As Mireanna panned to the first page of the book she felt the entire spine shift in her hand, surprising her and nearly causing the guest to drop the book.  Curious as to why the spine seemed to wobble so, Mireanna looks carefully at the border between the pages and the cover and nearly gasps out loud.  She missed it during her first glance at the book but it was clear now that a few dozen pages had been ripped out of the book.  The culprit had attempted to make it look untampered with but when Mireanna lightly ran her finger over the remains of the pages, there was no mistake.

 

_Someone purposely did this. They vandalized Sobeck’s book—erased parts of her history.  Who would do such a thing?  And why?  What could be so terrible about this woman to make a person do this?_

 

Bothered at what she had recently discovered, Mireanna walks up to Ebadji with the book in hand, ready to ask the librarian if she knew about the crime that had been committed.

 

“Ebadji, I’m sorry to disturb you but I have something you may want to see.”

 

Ebadji looks up with her usual smile but when she sees the tome the noblewoman holds, it slowly melts off her face.

 

“Was that book on the shelf when you found it, Lady Mireanna?”

 

“Yes, I—”

 

Ebadji reaches over and quickly grabs the book out of the noblewoman’s hands before Mireanna could react.

 

“I am sorry, Lady Mireanna but that was a mistake.  There should have been an acolyte working to transcribe pages today, it should not have been available for public use.”

 

“But—”

 

Ebadji waves her off, lips pursed.  “No, no, nothing to feel bad about.  The mistake was mine.  There are plenty of other books and scrolls to read but this one is unfortunately off limits for the time being.”

 

Offended by Ebadji’s abrupt change in demeanor, Mireanna is about to protest when the doors to the library open, Vala confidently walking through.  She stops when she gets to the two women, smiling kindly at them both.

 

“Ebadji, Lady Mireanna, I am here to let you know that dinner is about to be served.  It would be best if we all went over now so that our guests can get a comfortable seat.”

 

“I agree, Vala,” Ebadji says cheerily, a complete change in mood with the arrival of the younger acolyte.  “Lady Mireanna, let us go.”

 

Slightly confused about the recent events, Mireanna can only nod and follow the two acolytes as they exit the library.  While Vala and Ebadji were happily talking to each other, the noblewoman can only think of the senior acolyte’s poor attitude about the book and the continuous mystery about Sobeck’s past.  Even though the temple appeared to be a haven in every sense of the word, she still couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more than met the eye about the women here.  And Mireanna knew that whatever secrets lurked beneath the surface, they would do _anything_ to keep them hidden.


End file.
